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Peter May (TSN) Downgrades The Celtics
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MG In Exile
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Boston Celtics
Team Report posted
February 23, 1999
by tsn correspondent
PETER MAY Boston Globe
The NBA season was
barely two weeks old
and there was Trader
Rick, already
talking about making
a move.
His team had just
been manhandled by
the Portland Trail
Blazers and Rick
Pitino was bemoaning the absence of
a rebounder. He said he'd either
change his lineup or go out and find
someone who could rebound. He may
have to deal with what he has.
The reality of the situation is that
the Celtics have some enormous
potential at three positions, but in
only one of them, small forward,
does the individual exude any kind
of physical presence. Throw that in
with utter lack of anything close to
a starting, physical center and
you're going to have nights like
Portland when big teams will feast
on the finesse-oriented Celtics.
Antoine Walker is more of a finesse
4-man than a legit, prototype power
forward. Ron Mercer likes to shoot
jump shots off picks. Kenny Anderson
is a 6-1 (maybe) point guard with a
slight build. Getting these players
to be something they aren't is akin
to getting blood from a rock, which
prompted Pitino to lament the lack
of a physical presence.
His centers -- Eric Riley and Tony
Battie -- are also finesse kinda
guys who prefer the short jump shots
and aren't known for their
glass-eating ability.
Actually, their rebounding numbers
aren't that bad, especially off the
offensive glass. It's the other end
that worries Pitino. No post
defense. Minimum boxing out. But
this is how it's going to be with
the Celtics and it's not exactly a
news bulletin.
As Dana Barros noted after the
Portland game, "This is the same
problem we had last year, too."
The Celtics remain an outside-inside
team and when they make their shots,
as they did against Miami, they'll
win. When they don't, as was the
case in Portland and two days later
in Washington, they'll lose.
Their ability to win is going to be
predicated on outscoring the
opponent in most cases. When their
offense is struggling, as it was in
Washington, they have to rely on
their defense to stay in the game
and their defense isn't strong
enough.
Pitino can't trap as much as he
wants because the players still
aren't in shape for it and it takes
a toll on those who do. The team's
man-to-man defense still isn't
strong enough against many teams.
That's the situation now and it's
unlikely to change. . . .
The team's offensive problems became
quite public on Sunday in
Washington. Walker and Anderson got
into a shouting match on the floor
and Walker later snapped back to
assistant coach Jim O'Brien. Pitino
told everyone to shut up or they
would be suspended for a week and
then, the following day, he fined
both Walker and Anderson, calling
their very public dust-up
"unprofessional."
Walker and Anderson both issued mea
culpas and vowed that there was
nothing more to the spat than the
frustration of the moment. Walker is
a very emotional player, sometimes
to his own detriment. He was among
the league leaders in technical
fouls last season, but this year has
kept his mouth shut, even though his
play has been spotty.
Anderson also is off to a rough
start. His shooting has been awful
-- he's never been known as an
expert marksman -- and his body
still is not accustomed to the
demands of playing the way Pitino
wants to play, especially on
defense. But he's a critical piece
to the Celtics' puzzle because when
he's working the floor as we know he
can, the Celtics can put points on
the board. . . .
The Celtics were 2-4 in their first
extended road trip, with the final
four games covering two coasts and
six days. They went 1-3 in those
four games, the sole victory coming
in an exciting, triple-overtime game
against the mighty Grizzlies. The
schedule is a little bit better this
week, with games at home. But the
opponents are the Magic and the
Knicks, both teams which have
bigger, stronger front lines.
POSITIONAL ANALYSIS
Point guard: Anderson is off to a
rough start. He's probably shooting
too much and his direction of the
offense is suspect, given the team's
inability to score. Pitino wants him
to get the ball up the floor
quicker, but Anderson more often
prefers a slower clip. Grade: C-
Shooting guard: Ron Mercer has
returned to the starting lineup and
has had bursts of scoring. He still
isn't all the way back, lacking
explosiveness while his sore right
knee continues to heal. Grade: B-
Center: Pitino starts somebody
different almost every game. That
should tell you all you need to
know. His choices are Riley, who's
out of shape and a finesse guy, or
Battie, who's really a power
forward. Grade: F
Power forward: Walker is out of
shape, overweight, and has yet to
have a really bust-out game. (He
needed 27 shots and 9 free throws to
score 31 points against Miami.) He's
also had his problems with
opponents, getting brutalized by
Brian Grant in Portland. Then came
the argument with Anderson. Grade: D
Small forward: Ah yes, the lining of
silver. Paul Pierce has been
routinely terrific and,
surprisingly, is far and away the
best player on the team at this
point. He's not only scoring, he's
making big defensive plays, be they
blocked shots or steals. How did
nine teams pass on this guy? Grade:
A
INJURY REPORT
Walter McCarty remains sidelined
with a case of turf toe, but has
begun cardiovascular work to get
back in shape. He basically needs
the toe to heal before he can do
anything. McCarty is on the injured
list, but said he wants to return
March 2 against Cleveland.
The other two injured list occupants
are rookie guard Marlon Garnett
(conveniently sprained right ankle)
and center Pervis Ellison (ankle.)
Ellison showed up at the team's game
in Washington and said he was ahead
of schedule in his rehab. The team
does not expect him back this year,
however, and Ellison admitted that
even if he was cleared to return, it
would then take a while to get in
shape.
WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT
Pierce is looking less and less like
a rookie every time he steps on the
court and is doing it at both ends.
He's also doing it in a
veteran/mature fashion without the
high fives, scowls or chest-thumps.
He's just what the NBA needs.
Walker illustrates the other side.
He defends his on-court action as an
outgrowth of his emotionalism. Some
of that is legit. But the other
stuff (the wiggle, the
chest-thumping) is flat-out
immaturity and, as the captain of
the team, he has a higher ground to
walk.
STRONG TO THE HOOP
For a team whose survival and
success depends on afflicting wear
and tear, the Celtics are unable to
do just that. Therein lies the rub.
The offensive struggles prevent them
from even thinking about pressing
and they generally don't win unless
they press. This is the basketball
equivalent of Winston Churchill's
description of Russia: "A riddle
wrapped inside a mystery wrapped
inside an enigma." Many things need
to click for the Celtics and few, if
any, of them are.
PREDICTION
The upcoming 10 days will be
important for the Celtics because
they have four of their next six at
the FleetCenter before hitting the
road again. If they can't at least
get back to .500 before leaving town
again, they may be too far down to
get back in the playoff race. They
need to go no worse than 3-1 in the
four home games and, given their
tepid road play, 4-0 would be even
better.